Beware of RR Tracks

[bikerHen]

My daughter took a nasty spill this morning. She was crossing some RR tracks, wasn't paying attention, and got her front tire caught in the track. These tracks cross the road at a 45º angle making them extra dangerous. The bad news, major road rash, two swollen knees, an impresive number of bruises popping out and a scrapped elbow. The good news, the logging truck she fell in front of didn't hit her, and the truck following the first truck, didn't rear end it, but it was close! She didn't tear her brand new Terry Skort, and I was very impressed with the number of motorists who stopped to see if we needed help, included a Sherrif who was all set to call the paramedics. Today is DH's day off so he was able to come to our rescue with my trusty VW van. We just got back from the doctor, who decided she will live to ride another day. bikerHen

[SadieKate]

Oh no! I hate to hear these stories. It sounds like no permanent damage but a lot of big owies. Did she taco her wheel?

[CorsairMac]

I still haven't gotten over my fear of RR. JanT will probably know which ones I'm talking about to: In Tempe on Kyrene just past Eliot I think. Same thing, crosses the road at an angle and I was being careful but I hit a bump which dropped the tire right down into the tracks and I went Endo. A fellow biker tried to stop and help me and he did exactly the same thing. I damaged my thumb pretty badly that day not to mention all the other various and minor scrapes and bruises. My riding buddy set a route a few weeks back that included lots of RR tracks to help my overcome my fear of them. I'm still a nervous nelly but at least I don't panic now when I see them. Good luck to your daughter.

[MomOnBike]

I've been known to stop and walk across some nasty RR tracks, especially in the rain. I don't want to post disaster stories here - or anywhere else, come to think of it.

So, how's the bike?

[DeniseGoldberg]

Oh, ouch!
I'm glad to hear she's OK, and I hope she will be getting back on her bike...

--- Denise

[Crankin]

A lot of the RR tracks around here (commuter rail) have been smoothed down, so they don't stick up above the ground. I don't know what they do, but there is a bunch of smooth metal about 6 inches on each side of the track, so there's no bumpy stuff or cracks before the tracks. Hey Corsair.... did you live in Tempe? I used to live right near said track on Kyrene and Elliot. I lived s/o Elliot, between Rural and McClintock, behind Kyrene Middle school. This was back in the dark ages ('80s). I used to ride my old Univega 5 speed down Rural Rd to Williams Field (I mean Chandler Blvd) and think I had gone really far!!! This was when Rural Rd was rural.

[Irulan]

that's the nice thing about where we live, people will actually stop to help.

irulan

[bikerHen]

After spending the day on the couch with an ice pack on her inner thigh Heather is recovering with the help of ice cream. DH has been getting her up to walk around every so often so she won't totally seize up! Glad I'll be at work tomorrow. She is going to be sore and cranky! The tracks she fell on do have those metal plates on either side but they were wet from last night's rain. She seems to think a new bike is in order, even though her current ride is undamaged. I'm thinking nice try! What is a mother to do? bikerHen

[CorsairMac]

A lot of the RR tracks around here (commuter rail) have been smoothed down, so they don't stick up above the ground. I don't know what they do, but there is a bunch of smooth metal about 6 inches on each side of the track, so there's no bumpy stuff or cracks before the tracks. Hey Corsair.... did you live in Tempe? I used to live right near said track on Kyrene and Elliot. I lived s/o Elliot, between Rural and McClintock, behind Kyrene Middle school. This was back in the dark ages ('80s). I used to ride my old Univega 5 speed down Rural Rd to Williams Field (I mean Chandler Blvd) and think I had gone really far!!! This was when Rural Rd was rural.

Small world Robyn - I actually lived in Chandler right off Chandler Blvd and Kyrene!!

[Satori78]

Just two weeks ago my boyfriend and I were out biking on a gorgeous Sat. evening (which there have been too few of in my part of Iowa), and about 5 miles in the EXACT same thing happened to me. I was cruising along, making the second half of a turn and then all of a sudden I was in the dirt and gravel. One very badly scrapped and bleeding knee and elbow on the left side and on the right a very large and immediately bruised lump on the inside of me knee, right where my leg bends.

My boyfriend road like heck back to where the truck was parked to come get me and the bike. I was way to shaken and sore to get back on. By Monday, my body hurt everywhere. Now, just over two weeks later the scraps are almost heeled and the bruises fading.

Having just started riding with him, the boyfriend was worried and doubtful I would ride again (out of fear or trauma, not injury), but even now, in the middle of a work day, I'm itching to go

I hope your daughter is feeling better.
Smiles,
Angela

[Satori78]

This happened down my the harbor or the river near where we live. A guy on one of the docked tugboats said that another cyclist had done the exact same thing earlier in the day or the day before. Makes me think it wasn't my being green to biking, just bad road/RR track design combo.

[bikerHen]

Daughter is doing fine and back on her bike. Still lots of bruises though. We went for a short ride the other evening and had fun matching the bruises to parts on the bike. They all lined up nicely. Her "best" bruise is a perfectly shaped bike saddle on her inner thigh. To bad she can't show it to anyone! This is by far the worst and is keeping her riding to a miminum as it is still very tender. Thanks again for all the well wishes. bikerHen